JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -  The Clarion University baseball team split an afternoon double-header against the Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats Saturday, losing game one 11-2 and winning game two 9-8.  The win and loss moves the Golden Eagles to 10-25 (4-16 PSAC) on the season.  The Blue and Gold return to action on April 25th when they head to Mansfield for a double-header against the Mounties. 

An offensive explosion from the UPJ bats was the story of game one, as the Mountain Cats smacked 11 hits off the CU pitching staff en route to the win. 

The Eagles actually managed to draw first blood, loading the bases before going up 1-0 in the top of the first after Tom Connell's fielders choice allowed Mitch Holmberg to score from third.  John Finke drew a hit-by-pitch to re-load the bases one at-bate later, however a great throw from UPJ third-basemen Joe Gagliardi beat Tyler Falk at home to keep the score 1-0. 

The Cats answered with a big inning of their own, knocking three hits off starter Jay Moog in the bottom of the first. After taking advantage of a throwing error by the Blue and Gold, Gagliardi stung the Eagles again, this time with his bat.  A two-RBI single to right added to UPJ's lead, and after one full inning the Eagles found themselves in a 3-1 hole.  

They would add to that lead with another big inning in the bottom of the second, ripping three more hits to help push their lead to 8-1.  Dillion Wolbert doubled in the third to add another run for Clarion, however that was where the comeback stopped.  

UPJ added two more runs for good measure before taking game one 11-2.  

Clarion responded in the clutch in game two, however, enjoying an offensive explosion of their own to go along with a big performance from an unlikely hero on the mound.

After scoring first to make in 1-0, Clarion found themselves in a big hole once again, trailing 7-1 after two innings thanks in part to a pair of homers in the bottom of the first from UPJ.

However, this time around CU would have the last laugh.  Brady Andrews got the rally started with a huge two-out, two-run single in the third to cut UPJ's lead down to 7-3 before a two-run double from from shortstop Joey Lopez cut the lead to just a a pair, 7-5.

Clarion continued to press with good at-bats in the fourth until the dam finally burst courtesy of a Dillon Wolbert three-run homer that put CU ahead 8-7.  Matt Kamenicky would add one more for good measure in the fifth to ice things for CU. 

The Eagles also received a dynamic performance from catcher Tom Connell, who was called upon midway through the game to pitch in relief.  Despite having less than 10 innings of in-game experience on the mound this season for CU, Connell was electric, throwing four innings of one-run ball including three consecutive scoreless frames.  

The performance proved to be the jump-start Clarion needed, as the Eagles closed out UPJ for a 9-8 win.